Page 71 of Let Me Protect You

I bury my hands in his hair as he gently scrapes his teeth over my clit, and I cry out, “I’m so close. I-I want you inside of me when I orgasm.”

Elias pulls away from my core, and I cry out. He kisses me, my arousal still on his lips. “You’re so fucking sexy. I still can’t believe you’re mine.”

Then he pushes off the bed, and I grasp for him, but he’s just out of my reach. A soft rustling sounds, and he returns a second later with a condom. He opens the foil package and slides it on before I can even blink. Leaning over me, he stares directly into my eyes, his cock nudging at my entrance.

“Look at me,” Elias rasps.

I comply and meet his gaze, wiggling against him, anything to give me friction. All remaining thoughts vanish as he pushes inside me inch by inch, all the way to the hilt, filling me until I’m absolutely certain I’ll explode.

“Fuck!” I scream out.

He pulls out slowly before slamming back into me, and stars blur my vision. He continues to thrust into me over and over, and I’m a complete mess, lost to the sensation. Moans escape my lips, and he leans down to swallow them up. I dig my nails into his back as I teeter closer to the edge. I lift my hips to match his rhythm, my walls clenching harder against him as I scream out his name repeatedly like a chant.

“I love hearing my name on your lips when I’m making love to you.”

His words throw me over the edge. My orgasm slams into me, and wave after wave of uncontrollable pleasure flows through me. He thrusts faster, and moments later, he’s shattering with me.

We stay together for a moment, neither of us moving away to clean up, and he rests his forehead against mine. “I love you.”

I smile, my breathing still ragged. Everything about him is perfect, and I still can’t believe he’s mine. “I love you, too.”

Chapter 36

Harmony

The next morning, I sneak inside Serenity’s house. She’s not usually awake at this hour, but sometimes Summer gets her up early. After the threat was gone and I was safe again, I moved back in with my sister, which is nice, but I miss Elias.

The scent of bacon and eggs wafts out of the kitchen, and my mouth waters.

For now, I have to ignore my rumbling stomach. Maybe if I go straight to Summer’s room, she won’t notice I didn’t come home last night. I’m an adult and can have sleep overs at my boyfriend’s house—I told myself—but Serenity likes to be informed when I’m not coming home at night so she isn’t up worrying.

I pause my tiptoeing when Serenity appears in the doorway with raised brows and a spatula clutched in her hand. “I wonder where you’ve been all night.”

I give her a guilty smile. “Sorry, we fell asleep watching a movie.”

“I know you’re an adult, but make sure you’re being careful. Okay?”

“Are you seriously giving me ‘the talk?’” I nod toward the direction where Summer sits only a few feet away. “And in front of the kid?”

Serenity rolls her eyes. “No, I know you’re smart. I just wanted to remind you.”

I move to the kitchen now that I’ve already been caught. If we’re going to have this conversation, I need food. But I also have a bigger question on my mind, and if I don’t ask now, I’ll chicken out.

“Did you know that Sully is my father?”

Serenity halts on her way back to the stove and nods without making eye contact. My heart plummets to the floor.

A sudden coldness hits my core. I never expected Serenity to hide something like this from me. “You’ve been lying to me for my entire life?”

She shakes her head vehemently. “I swear I only found out right before Mom passed. She told me on her deathbed.” Serenity looks down at the spatula still in her hand. “She didn’t want that to be the last thing she said to you. And when I confronted Sully, he said he wanted to tell you on his own terms. I’m so sorry, Harmony.”

I take a deep breath. No matter how much I want to be mad, I’m not. With Mom gone, finding out my father is still around is a blessing. I had always thought Serenity and I shared a father—he “died” before I was born—but with our completely different features, I don’t know why I didn’t question it earlier.

I came back to town with only my wedding gown, my sister and niece, and a threat. Now? Well, now I have a loving boyfriend, a new father, and Serenity and Summer. Life can’t be any more perfect than this.

I pull out my phone and call my father.

***